Worshipping God in Spirit - John 4:24
By Dr. Ken Matto
John 4:24 (KJV) God is a Spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Some in the charismatic movement attempt to try and
tell us that John 4:24 is fulfilled only if one speaks in tongues. Nothing could
be further from the truth because modern tongues is nothing but gibberish. There
is a simple interpretation to this verse and it is not a complicated
explanation. Some try to make things very complex so it would seem that they are
the only ones who could bring the true interpretation.
The First Century Setting of John 4
Samaria was surrounded by many pagan nations for many
years and those pagan nations all had some type of physical representations of
their false god, of course, which were all idols. Some were Dagon, Milcom, and
Baal. This gives us the physical setting of Samaria. John 4:5 (KJV) Then
cometh he (Jesus) to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to
the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
Worshipping God in Spirit
The true God is a spirit and those that worship Him,
must do it according to Spirit. This means that a spiritually dead person, the
unsaved, cannot truly worship God, because they are dead. Those who are born
again are indwelled by the Holy Spirit who makes us alive unto God and teaches
us the truth about God and as we come into more and more truth about God from
the Scriptures, we continually worship Him as our understanding of God grows. We
then come to a realization of what He has done for us, to take us from a hell
bound sinner and make us a king and priest in His Kingdom. (Rev 5:10 KJV)
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the
earth. This is why systems like the Mosaic system cannot really be
considered worshipping God because those who are offering the sacrifices of
animals are not really spiritually prepared to be in God’s presence. If the law
requires a certain sacrifice for a certain sin, then even a spiritually dead
person can respond in the flesh accordingly.
Those who are unsaved do not have the Holy Spirit
dwelling in them and this means that those unsaved in a dead church are not
worshipping God, no matter how many hymns they sing or how many sermons are
preached. The spiritually dead cannot worship the living God. Psalms
50:16-17 (KJV) But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my
statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? {17} Seeing thou
hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. Psalm 50:16-17 is
God’s response to those who are unsaved who are trying to bring the Word of God.
God does not accept it. Isaiah 59:1-2 (KJV) Behold, the LORD'S hand is not
shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But
your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid
his face from you, that he will not hear. True worship of God is only attainable
when one is regenerated by the Lord Jesus Christ and is indwelled by the Holy
Spirit. In other words, one must be born again to be qualified to worship the
Lord in Spirit.
An interesting scenario which happened to the Lord
Jesus Christ many times during His earthly ministry. Mark 1:34 (KJV) And he
healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and
suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. He would not allow
the devils to speak as He was casting them out of the people. Jesus would not
accept praise or acknowledgement from devils, only from His own people. In like
manner, He will not accept praise from unbelievers especially since He is going
to be their judge at the last day and if they are not elected to salvation, no
amount of praise or acknowledgement will ever get them into Heaven.
So the reality is that one must be born again through
the Lord Jesus Christ and then indwelled by the Holy Spirit, making them alive
unto the things of God. Then and only then can God be worshipped properly and
that in Spirit only. One must have the Spirit to be able to worship in Spirit.
Romans 6:11 (KJV) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.